Skincare

Howdy friends! So, I’ve just recently gotten home from a two-week stint in Asia competing, practicing and teaching and once again I’m trying to recalibrate my ‘home groove’. I don’t know about you guys but I definitely find that it takes me a few days to truly settle in to wherever I am and whatever I’m doing and let me tell you, living as an ever-travelling, competing ballroom dancer, that can make life pretty tough at times! Luckily though, no matter where in the world I am, I can always rely on certain things to help a sister out and today I thought I’d share those things with you 🙂

Repping Australia In China

Hand sanitiser:

This is only a relatively new thing in my life and was really brought to my attention while I was aboard the NCL Epic Cruise ship. The constant reminder of “washy, washy – happy, happy” songs and hand sanitising stations made me become a total germaphobe! I had never really thought about germs so much up until that point and then all of a sudden I was questioning EVERYTHING! Especially the poor old breakfast buffet. In my defence though I was also hearing some pretty horrific buffet stories from friends aboard the ship too which obviously didn’t help either! Nevertheless, it changed me and after washy, washy-ing 200 times a day (I kid, I kid… or do I?) for a whole week, hand sanitiser is now a part of my life. Thinking about it now though it kind of makes sense considering my constant state of travel and the fact that my job entails me holding people’s hands! What’s even better about this new obsession is that you can buy the sanitisers in such cutie patootie packaging!! I’m such a child when it comes to things like this; give me something pink and cute and I’m bloody sold so for me it’s a double win! I found these Gudetama hand sanitisers in Hong Kong and they are so dang cute with their little detachable loop bands making it easy for you to bang it on your bag and they smell like peachy goodness. The little pink guy on my backpack was a gift from a student so I’m not sure where it’s from 🙁 but still.. BEST STUDENT EVER AWARD!

Gudetama Hand Sanitisers.. too cute 🙂

CHECK OUT HOW CUTE HE IS! I mean the Sanitiser not the cool cat in the background btw.

Travel sickness tablets:

Yep, I’m one of those people. One of the one’s quietly winding down the window in the back of a car on a -2 degree day, one of the one’s getting all woozy when the plane is doing a million circles before landing into Heathrow, one of the one’s who should have travel sickness tablets on them at all times. You never know when that sickness is going to strike so I have learnt that it’s better to be prepared than to suffer in sick silence. I’m talking the proper stuff by the way, none of this ginger tablet crap that does absolutely nothing. A brand I often buy is Kwells and honestly I’ve been taking them for so long that the mere thought of them makes me want to gag, but boy do they work! One trip I was feeling confident and I decided to see if all my travel hours had paid off and given me some sort of immunity to travel sickness so I bought some of these pressure band things. Big mistake that was.. half way through the flight turbulence struck and the old pressure bands weren’t doing much other than putting large indentations in between my wrist bones. So, never again! I always travel with them and they come in so handy, especially considering they are quite small so if you have to (wouldn’t recommend it though) you can swallow them (don’t do it) without water (just don’t!).

Because I can’t find a pic relating to travel sickness so I’ll post one of travel instead. In Hong Kong at Victoria Peak.

With my girl Lady Gags, she had just finished telling me that she also suffers from travel sickness… true story.

Travel sized perfume:

As I’ve mentioned before here, I’m slightly obsessed with perfume. So it’s kind of no brainer that this would be on my list but when I’m travelling I find it much easier to opt for something more suited to my handbag size so I have access to it whenever I need a refresh. Smelling good is always appreciated and in my field of dance where it’s literally body on body, I think its super important (*cough, cough* men take note!) that you have the respect to not smell like an old wash cloth 🙂 I have a few different options I love to keep in my bag at different times. One being this small Elizabeth and James roll on that I bought at Sephora, it wasn’t too expensive, smells beautiful and is small enough that you can pop a bit of fragrance on in a hurry and chuck it back in your bag without it weighing your bag down or taking up too much space. Another option I like is to use the little tester perfumes you sometimes receive when buying or trying a new perfume. I always make sure to put them in a small pocket in my bag though so they can’t roll around and leak perfume everywhere! Finally, something I’m using at the moment which I also received as a welcome home gift from a student (I know, my students rock!) is this travel sized Chanel No.5 bottle which came with two refills! I think its perfect for the hand bag because it is small and sleek and the wind up, wind down feature means you don’t have to worry about lids falling off and leakage. Also, the two refills give me a little confidence to wear No5 everyday.. yes please!!

Elizabeth and James “Nirvana” and Miu Miu “L’eau Bleue”

Chanel No.5 is one of my all time favourites <3

Face masks:

My face and skin undergoes constant change depending on my surroundings. I know how I’m feeling or how my body’s doing just from looking at my face. Dark circles, puffy eyes, dry lips, pimples – I get the works and sometimes if I really don’t take care of myself I get them all at once. HOT. I still haven’t found the cure for puffiness under the eyes (if anyone out there knows of any product they can recommend I’m all for it!) but I do know that there is something about Asia that makes it really bad. I don’t think its the food as I tried for a few days to eat super clean; veg, fruit, green juice, nuts and rice and I still woke up with severely puffy eyes and soreness. I think it may have something to do with the aircon in the hotel rooms but I’m not sure. All I know is that its the bane of my existence while Im there. Anyway I digress! Luckily, I can throw my skin a bone via the help of different face masks. I’ve tried all sorts of face masks in the past but one that I’m loving at the moment and that I found really helps to ‘wake’ my face up is the GlamGlow YouthMud mask. I bought this on my cruise as I’d heard so much about Glam Glow and decided to give it a go #poet. Now bearing in mind I have sensitive skin, the first time I tried this bad boy, I had to wash it off within 20 seconds. It was burning like hell! But after doing a bit of research online I read that it may cause a tingling feeling so I drank some cement and gave it another go. Burny Burn Town once again! But this time I persisted and it did pass and it was even followed with a pleasant cooling sensation which was highly appreciated in my case. it goes on as a thick ‘mud’ and after about 5 minutes dries to being rock hard giving you what I can only describe as all over botox face. You can leave it on for up to 15 minutes and when you rinse it off your skin will feel baby bum smooth. I feel like it really de-puffs my face as well and leaving my skin in the perfect pre-makeup state. I simply follow with my usual moisturiser and then I can apply my makeup straight away with out the fear of it slipping and sliding all over the joint. Definitely recommend it to anyone who, like me, wakes up looking like they were involved in a mild car accident overnight.

GLAMGLOW YOUTHMUD.

The mud in the tub.

So there are some of my secrets, what are yours!? Let me know in the comments below 🙂

As I’ve mentioned before on numerous occasions, I am a total sucker for trying out new products. The good news is that I don’t think I’m alone.. amiright!? I especially love giving all natural products a go because if a cruelty free, plant-based product can deliver the goods, I’m sold! For the past 2 months I’ve been trialling a couple of products from The Jojoba Company range as I’d heard so much about Jojoba (pronounce hoh-hoh-buh for those of you wondering!) and all the benefits it has on skin. When I found the range at a Chemist near my Dance Studio I knew it was time to bite the bullet and give some of their products a go and so I walked out of there with the Jojoba Bead Facial Cleanser and the 100% Natural Australian Jojoba Oil.

What on earth is Jojoba I hear you ask? No, you didn’t? Well I’ll tell ya anyway 😉 Jojoba oil comes from the Jojoba bean and is so beneficial for our skin because the oil is a very similiar consistency to that of the protective wax we create ourselves (sebum) that keeps our skin moisturised and silky smooth. Because of this similiar consistency it is able to penetrate deep into the skins layers where cell regeneration and synthesis occurs carrying other nutrients with it. It contains Vitamins A, D and E and other anti-oxidents and fatty acids which are also known for their skin healing and protective qualities. Jojoba is naturally antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and hypo-allergenic and works wonders on all skin types ranging from oily skin to baby skin. If you want to know any more about Jojoba and The Jojoba Company then click here.

The Jojoba Bead Facial Cleanser ($34.95) comes in a paste form containing naturally solidified jojoba beads which help to exfoliate any dry skin and leaves my skin feeling oh so smooth and clean. It also contains Vitamin C, aloe vera and Vitamin E which help to hydrate the skin and dissolve any impurities. See you later dryness! I’ve been using this product every morning and it really wakes my skin up and leaves me feeling rejuvenated and awake. You only need to use about a marble’s amount and you cleanse in circular motions around the face and neck and then rinse off with a warm muslin cloth or with some warm water. It’s suitable for all skin types and is completely safe and eco-friendly.. boom baby!

Jojoba Cleanser

Tiny little Jojoba Beads 🙂

Jojoba Oil.. Amount left after 2 months

The highlight product for me though has to be the Jojoba Oil ($29.95 for 85ml). This stuff is like a little bottle of liquid gold. Having skin that’s normal to dry I feel like the oil has really helped to bring moisture to my skin, especially while I’ve been travelling and submitting my skin to extreme temperatures (-3 degrees to 38 degrees anyone?!). I only need one tiny pump and that will smooth all over my face and neck and I just rub any excess into my hands. Whilst it is an oil product, it doesn’t at all feel heavy and greasy on my skin and within about 5-10 minutes it’s completely soaked in. My skin drinks that stuff up!! Since using it though, I have altered my routine a little and try to cleanse and oil my face as soon as I wake up so that the product has time to soak in whilst I’m having my brekkie. That way it’s done its business before I go and hit my skin with makeup products 🙂 This oil is also suitable for all skin types so don’t be afraid if you have oily/combination skin!

My skin sans foundation 🙂

Now don’t get me wrong, I do still love my Dr Hauschka products as they are just SO luxurious and lovely but they do have a little more of a hefty price tag than the products from The Jojoba Company. I also love the simplicity of putting one ingredient onto my skin and having that ingredient be so similiar to the sebum my skin already naturally produces. In the past couple of months I haven’t had any breakouts, no dry skin, no patchiness and it has helped with dryness that I used to experience under my eyes too. I have loved the effect on my skin so much that I am definitely going to try some of their other products.. I’m looking at you Hydrating Face Mask! So if you’re looking to try something all natural and 100% Australian that works a treat on the skin then I would definitely recommend giving the Jojoba Oil a go and try it for yourself!

Ok, so cat’s out of the bag, I’m naturally pale as pale can be. Casper is basically my spirit animal. And whilst I don’t all out hate my fair skin, I do feel for those people who have to see me (sans sunglasses) in those summer months when the only way to survive the Aussie heat is to strip off. I don’t mean getting butt naked but I’m talking about losing the sleeves and pants and opting for singlet and shorts options instead. I’ve never really been able to naturally achieve a tan as I’m lucky enough to have the skin that burns, peels and then reverts back to its pale self with the addition of a few freckles (thanks mum!), so I’ve had to rely on fake tanners when I want to look a little less white. Also, in fairness (ha! #punny) I am a bit of a sucker for protecting my skin so I don’t go out in the sun much and when I do, try to avoid getting burnt at all costs. So with Summer scratching at our heels, I thought what better time to talk about tanning (the fake way!).

I’ve been slapping tan on since the ripe old age of 13. Now hold up! Before you think I was actually socially aware of my pale skin at that age let me clarify that it was actually for dance comps. We ballroom dancers like to go overboard on the tanning side of things and it is just as important as hair or makeup on the big day as those UV lights are not our friends. I used to use a horrid orange stain called ‘Contest Colour’ that was a liquid you basically rolled onto your body with a small foam paint roller (not joking) and then stood around like a starfish ’til it dried and you could apply however many more coats. It was horrible, kids at school used to call me Oompa Loompa which was never my favourite nickname, no matter how fitting! And worse yet it used to take weeks to scrub that stuff off. I tried everything ranging from rubbing cut lemons on myself in the shower, toothpaste, and soaking in the bath and it just wouldn’t budge. When it did eventually start to wear off, you wish it wouldn’t as it would go patchy and horrible and leave your skin so dry and sore. Aaah the things ya do for dancing hey!? But times have changed and luckily now there are brands out there willing to help us pale folk resemble a more bronzed, holiday-y version of ourselves without leaving us looking like burnt oranges. I now have a few go-to favourites that I love and are super easy to both purchase and use and better yet, people don’t realise I’m wearing it! Triple winner!!

Le Tan Fast Tan

First up, it’s a bit of an old fave. Good old Le Tan Fast Tan in Deep Bronze. Le Tan was my first ever fake tan brand that I used to buy for a ‘non competition’ tan. Meaning I wanted to look like a person, not a dancer with patchy tan feet (you fellow dancing gals know what I’m talkin’ ’bout!) I was probably around 17 and chose Le Tan because it was the cheapest (ha ha don’t judge!) but it actually turned out to be awesome! I usually apply this one with gloves as it’s a type of instant brown moisturiser that develops more colour over time. I also used to use another product by Le Tan which isn’t instant and goes on clear and develops gradually over a few hours, which is nice but I find it too risky not being able to see where I’ve put it! So the bad news, unfortunately this product had been discontinued but they do still have the Fast Tan in a Can version. Le Tan has done a bit of a revamp on its products and now has some new instant and gradual tanners containing Argan Oil or Coconut water. I assume they are very similar to the Fast Tan products they used to stock but now have maybe been slightly improved as I feel like the brand is always changing and upgrading which is nice. Definitely going to give the new products a try as I assume they will be very similar to the Fast Tan but maybe slightly more moisturising. I love the Le Tan products as they are an Aussie brand and are always reasonably priced and never leave me looking orange. Le Tan is stocked at Priceline and their products range from around $8AUD to $20AUD. Extremely reasonable and the colour of this product is great!

Vani-T Brazilian Bronze

Next up is a relatively new tan that I just tried last week and luuuurved (loved). It’s by the brand Vani-T and it’s the Brazilian Bronze Self Tan Mousse. Its Australian made, cruelty free and whats great about it is its ready to go in 1 hour! That shit is speedy!! The consistency is like a brown foam and I applied it with a tanning mitt from the same company. I’d heard a lot about tanning mitts from other dancers and friends but hadn’t really jumped on the bandwagon but NOW I GETCHA! They are awesome and they really buff the tan in beautifully. It was a little tricky doing my back with it, but nothing some contortionist skills can’t handle.. otherwise best to grab a loved one to do it for you 😉 So, you apply it and can simply rinse off an hour later for a light tan, 2 hours later for a medium tan, and 3-4 hours later for a darker tan. I only ever really want a light tan with my red hair, so I washed it off after an hour and a half. Just a note with this stuff, washing off the excess caught me by surprise. I got out of the shower and I looked like streaky bacon.. not the look I was going for. Devo, as I thought it was the tan’s fault (obviously) I went on to apply some moisturiser and realised maybe I hadn’t rinsed it off well enough. I hopped back in the shower and rather than just letting the water hit my skin (which is usually enough) I washed my skin with some body wash and a loofah and that did the trick! No more streaks, just gorgeous glowy skin. You can buy this tan and the mitt online at salonstyle.com for $37.95 and $11.35 respectively. It’s definitely worth a try!

Bondi Sands Self Tanning Lotion

Lastly my absolute favourite tanner, the Bondi Sands Self Tanning Lotion in Dark. This is SUCH a good tan guys, everything from the colour, the smell and the way it wears off is 10 out of 10! Similar to Le Tan I use the product that is instant and I buy the darkest colour. I haven’t tried the light to medium colour but what I do to make the colour less intense is pop it on (with my disposable gloves) and the wash off the excess 2-3 hours later. You can leave the product on for up to 6+ hours. Don’t be alarmed when you first apply this tan though because you will look pretty dirty and green. Also similar to the Le Tan products the Bondi Sands tan’s have a green undertone which is what you want when looking for a self tanner as this is what looks most natural. Anything throwing off too much orange looks fake. It smells like coconuts and when you wash away the excess will leave you looking like a bronzed goddess! The colour is really natural and whats better is the way it fades. It doesn’t at all go patchy and simply fades away like a natural tan (or so I assume?) unlike the previous two tanners I mentioned, which don’t fade badly but are prone to a little bit of patchiness. Bondi Sands has quickly become known as Australia’s number 1 tan and I can see why! It’s available at most pharmacies in Australia and I’ve even seen it in the UK! I bought mine at Priceline here in Oz and it retails at $19.99… BARGAIN!

Getting started! Just applied Bondi Sands to one leg 🙂

Gloves off, time to fix this!

Blended out!

As a sort of personal tip, I never apply fake tan to my face. This is just a personal preference as I had a pretty awful experience as a 14-year-old after getting spray tanned for a competition and the lady did my face. At first it was just funny because it was so brown but after a couple of days it started to go really patchy and horrible and I was so embarrassed! I remember Mum having to put a bit of foundation on me just to get me to go outside #SCARRED!! From that day I’ve never tanned my face as I feel it’s just as easy to get the face up to scratch with makeup. Otherwise when I’m not made up I’m usually at home where I don’t mind having a brown neck and white face 😉 So it’s totally personal choice, but I’m not a fan.

A few tips and tricks for the novice tanner:

Always make sure to exfoliate the skin beforehand. I use some scrubbing gloves and/or my cactus brush from The Body Shop.

Tan using disposable gloves or a mitt and go easy on ankles, knees and elbows. If you like you can apply moisturiser to these areas beforehand because they like to go browner than the rest of the body 😉

Wear loose or silky garments while tan is developing and relax. An obvious one, but don’t decide to go out for an afternoon jog or participate in any sweaty activity for that manner!

A little while back, I shared my morning skincare routine with you gals (and guys?) so this is the other half to my day, the night-time routine! I am a little less vigilant with my night routine as some days I come home absolutely knackered and can’t peel myself away from the T.V.. Gotta see who wins Survivor guys! Ha Ha and yes I know I’m a bit late with Survivor but surprisingly I hadn’t seen any publicity on it and Steve and I have been catching up on TenPlay since we got back from our travels. But, in saying all this I would NEVER skip my night routine as I know how important it is for my skin to heal and regenerate while my body is in sleep mode. Unlike my teenage years, I will now never ever go to bed with makeup on, no matter how tired I am. So let’s get into it!

Time to remove the day..

Bioderma Sensibio

Most days I come home with makeup on my face. It doesn’t matter if it’s a lot or not but what is important is that I get the stuff off! I use the Bioderma Sensibio H2o to remove my makeup and let me say this cleanser is the bomb.com!! It is a cleansing water that removes the toughest of makeup (waterproof mascara.. bye bye!) but still cares for sensitive skin. I’ve tried a few Micellar Water products and I think this one has to be the best. The Garner Micellar Water isn’t bad but I feel it really struggles with waterproof mascara and some heavy tinted lipsticks. It may be half the price but it’s also half the strength.. sorry Garnier! I just find the Bioderma so much quicker to use as it swipes everything off in one go and leaves me feeling fresh. I buy mine from Priceline here in Australia and I buy the big ass bottle to keep me covered for a while. Also worth noting is that this product doesn’t sting if it gets in your eyes.. WINNER!! Because generally, if I’m removing makeup from my eyes, I end up getting it in my eyes and some products can buuuurn.

Once I’ve done the first cleanse (makeup removal) I then go in with my Dr Hauschka Soothing cleansing milk. The cleansing milk is perfect for a night cleanse as it gently removes dirt and is made for sensitive skin. Because I’ve already done one cleanse I don’t need something too strong or abrasive and especially considering it’s just before bed my skin only needs a gentle cleanse. I simply wet my face with warm water, gently apply 2-3 pumps to my hands, warm between my fingers and apply a thin layer all over my face and neck. I then use small circular motions working from the inside areas of my face outwards (no scrubbing!), including the eye area and then remove with a warm muslin cloth. This leaves me feeling squeaky clean and refreshed, ready to apply a couple of sprays of my Dr Hauschka Facial Toner to close my pores and tone my skin.

Dr Hauschka Soothing Cleansing Milk

Dr Haushcka Toner

If I happen to be suffering from a bit of a breakout (damn hormones) I tend to leave it at that so that my skin can breathe overnight and maybe I’ll apply a bit of acne cream on trouble spots to dry up those problem areas. Otherwise when my skin is pretty normal I apply some Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Active Complex II in a light layer all over my face. As I have mentioned before, this product is a bloody gem. I feel it has really added brightness to my skin and given it back some much needed elasticity. Nothing like flying on an airplane, 200 coats of fake tan and heavy makeup to sap the skin of all its moisture! I love applying this whilst on the plane too, to keep my skin from drying out. It’s so hydrating and rich and smells like honey, I think I’m in love 🙂

Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair

And that’s all folks! As I have said previously HERE, maybe twice a week I will switch up this routine for a proper deep cleanse using my Eve Lom Cleanser. Hope you enjoyed and don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE belowww!

Today I decided to give you guys a little run down of my morning routine and share with you some of the products and procedures that help me feel ready to tackle the day ahead. Most days I wake up to a grumbling tum so naturally food is the first thing on the agenda, but once I have that big ol’ morning smoothie in my belly it’s then time to hit up the bathroom to sort out my morning face.

I tend to wake up to a face that more so resembles a balloon than my own and some days are worse than others. I get really puffy in the eye area and some days it’s so bad that it causes my eyes to water too (such a fun way to start the day #NOT!). Lately I’ve been travelling a lot, 9 long haul flights in roughly a month for that matter, and so because of all these changes in my body clock I have absolutely no idea what day or what time it is. Just the other day I had a good 12 hour stint of sleep! This = SUPER PUFFY FACED RACHELLE. A little trick I’d learnt in the past to rectify this situation is to chuck a couple of spoons in the freezer, leave them for about 15 minutes and then gently place them over said puffy areas. You can then hold them there as long as you like and even repeat the process if need be. It helps to get the lymphatic system going and drain away all that excess fluid. It also tightens the skin around the eye area, constricting the blood vessels and therefore reducing the puffiness. I love this for dealing with jet lag face and it’s also great for those comp mornings when you had accidentally overdosed on your carb loading (usually pizza and pasta!) the night before #carbface.

Most days, when my face isn’t too puffy I just get straight into my morning cleanse, tone and moisturise ritual. I start with using Dr Hauschka’s cleansing cream. This stuff is a type of gritty cleanser that needs to be mixed with a bit of water to form a paste. It goes super far so they recommend you only use about an inch worth which means great lasting power! Being Dr Hauschka the products are all natural plant extracts and my sensitive skin loves them! The paste gently cleanses and exfoliates the skin and because they recommend the product to be “rolled” onto the skin not at all abrasive. Once I’ve repeated that rolling action a few times I remove the cleanser with a warm muslin cloth.

I then use the Dr Hauschka Facial Toner and lightly spray the mist onto my face. This toner contains of Anthyllis and Witch Hazel which helps to optimise the balance of oil on the skin and leaves me feeling super refreshed! While my skin is still slightly wet from the toner I then go on to apply my moisturiser. I’ve mentioned this product before but I’m going to mention it again just incase any of you missed it 😉 I’m talking about the dreamy Rose Day cream by Dr Hauschka for normal, dry, sensitive or mature skin. It’s recommended for us gals who are prone to a bit of redness or irritation and it also works wonders on those premature wrinkles. Each tube contains 30 organic roses and so obviously it smells TO DIE FOR! It feels super luxe on the skin with its richness but it’s not heavy and thick at all once it hits the skin. I love this product!!

If my eyes are looking a little worse for wear and are on the tired side I then go to my trusty little tube of “luxury eye serum” which I purchased at The Face Shop. They had a few products in store that were similar to this one but basically they are a Korean brand of products and this one takes care of the dark circles under your eyes and also help to reduce those infamous under eye bags. I just pop a small amount onto my ring fingers and then smooth under my eyes. Catchya dark circles!

And that’s it! I don’t think this routine is too crazy as it only takes me around 5-10 minutes every morning. But what I do know is that it completely wakes up my face transforming me from frightening half asleep zombie to surprisingly acceptable! I absolutely adore the Dr Hauschka products (as I’ve mentioned before) as they are so rich and luxurious but also simple and easy to use. Who can really be bothered with a 7 step morning ritual anyways!? So I hope you enjoyed this and if you are interested in trying any of the Dr Hauschka range then you can grab them online here or shop the brand at your local David Jones store 🙂

Big call in the old title there. All-time favourite. This product must really be something you are probably thinking.. and let me tell you oh yes it is! As you know if you’ve read my blogs I really am one for changing it up with my beauty game but when a product is this good, it stays. I’ve been using the Eve Lom cleanser for the best part of 6 years now and it is still something I love so damn much! So I decided after purchasing a new tub of the stuff the other day whilst here in the UK, what better time than now to share that love 🙂

If you haven’t heard of Eve Lom before then let me share a little bit about it for you. It’s a UK-based brand but is stocked in a couple of places in Oz now, the main place I know of is in Mecca stores (you know like Cosmetica, Maxima and any other -a’s I can’t think of). The cleanser was the first product that Eve Lom ever launched and to this day is still the best seller. Vogue even proclaimed it as “probably the best cleanser in the world” with “probably” meaning definitely I’m sure. I haven’t seen anything else on the market that comes close to it in the way that it’s a cleanser, toner and moisturiser all-in-one. I’ve tried a few other balmy type cleansers with a similar style to this one but most of them leave an oily residue on my face and some have even caused breakouts.. not what you want. It is slightly pricey though, with the 100ml retailing for around A$105 and the 200ml for A$163. But when you take in to account the amount you are using (a thumb size) and the fact that it’s your cleanser, toner and moisturiser in one it really isn’t that bad (in my opinion!). The 200ml tub usually lasts me around 6 months and that’s when I used to use it every night.. more about that later.

Describing the product is a bit of a tricky one. Picture vaseline but thicker with a very fine grit through it. Very descriptive I know but I guess you just have to experience it to understand. It contains 4 signature plant oils that give it its distinct fragrance which is slightly medicinal, but I love it (my mum hated it though.. you win some, you lose some!). It removes all traces of make-up (even waterproof mascara!!), cleanses and exfoliates, decongests the face through the massage ritual suggested and regulates your natural oil balance. All good things in my books when it comes to my skin!

Another great thing about the product is how quick and easy it is. I simply scoop out a small glob of it, rub between my fingers to warm it up slightly and then massage directly onto my made-up face. Don’t worry about taking your make-up off before hand as this product is meant to do that for you! All-in-one remember!? Once I’ve really un-settled all that make up, I take the muslin cloth (provided) and soak in some warm water, wring out the excess water, press onto my face for roughly 5 seconds and gently swipe away the day! I repeat this process 3 times and then do one more after running the muslin cloth under cold water to close up all my pores. This is amazing for those nights when I come home after a day in the studio and just want to get my face off quickly so that I can watch a couple of episodes of Suits (p.s Harvey Specter… marry me?) and eat my dinner. Other times, when I do have a bit of motivation left in me I quite enjoy the process of taking my makeup off, cleansing, toning and moisturising separately so I like to mix it up using the cleanser maybe 2-3 times a week.

For those days that you have a little more time on your hands, Eve Lom suggest a 7 step facial massage technique that should be paired with the cleanser. They recommend it to be done once or twice a week as it is great for reducing any puffiness and really giving the skin a deep cleanse. I am a little bit forgetful and don’t remember to do this that often but I do sometimes like to do it whilst sat in front of the TV as I find it’s super relaxing. For those of you interested I’ll post a little YouTube video of one of my favourite beauty YouTubers Lisa Eldridge and you can follow along with her as she demonstrates some of her facial massage techniques. She recommends a few different products that can be used for this tutorial but I like to do it with Eve Lom of course!

Obviously I can’t say that this product will work for you but all I can say is that it works a treat for my normal/dry/slightly sensitive skin! If you are interested maybe try some of their sample sizes and give it a go, because who knows it could become your fave too! What are some cleansers or balms that you have loved or loathed? Leave me some comments below 🙂

Every gal loves trying new products, right? Whether it’s something that has been recommended to them, something they’ve seen advertised (guilty) or just something they have happily stumbled upon, finding a holy grail product is like finding hidden treasure! I’ve had many-a experience with different products, as I’m sure we all have, but today I wanted to focus on a few that have been tickling my fancy the past couple of months. Some are old favourites that I’ve revisited and thought “where have you beeeeen?” and others are new to the block but have still left me thinking the same thing!!

DR HAUSCHKA ROSE DAY CREAM:

This little baby has been in my life a few times before. A few of you may remember in my last skincare post here that I mentioned I have a slight penchant for chopping and changing when it comes to skincare. One brand I know that I can rely on though is Dr Hauschka. I first tried their products back in 2014 and it was definitely love at first application. I bought the little face kit which

Rose Day Cream

contains all their cult products in miniature form so that you can test each cream and see which your skin prefers. The brand is all natural and organic and my skin absolutely loves the stuff. I’m only mentioning one of their products today but that’s only because I feel this day cream is worth a special mention.

The Rose Day Cream is one of my all time faves. The smell, the texture, but mostly the amazing effect it instantly has on my face! Recommended for normal, dry and sensitive skin the texture is rich and luxurious and calms down any unwanted redness. This stuff is so great for me as I am normal/dry but I suggest if you are prone to oilyness this guy might just ramp that up for you so maybe try the tester size first just to be sure. Each tube contains 30 organic roses, vitamin C, wild rose hip, shea butter, avocado oil, extracts of marshmellow plus many more amazing all natural ingredients. You only need a small amount, warm it up between your hands and then press lightly onto the skin. It leaves me glowy and moisturised, calms down some of my unwanted redness (thanks pale skin!) and as an added bonus, my face smells like a field of roses! Definitely worth a try 🙂 You can buy Dr. Hauschka at all Myer stores or if you live in Sydney I buy mine from Dr. Earth located in Newtown.

ESTEE LAUDER ADVANCED NIGHT REPAIR:

Advanced Night Repair

This next product had been something I had been wanting for a while and I guess you could say is a bit of a cult product. It is advertised eeeeeverywhere, so naturally I had high expectations. Luckily enough I was not disappointed 🙂 Estee Lauder’s Advanced Night Repair is like liquid-y gold for the face and I’ve become a little obsessed by it. I’ve never used much in the way of night skin care before but something of late has made me realise I’m not getting any younger and I need to preserve the skin I have! Those 9 hours mustn’t go to waste! So I bought this Duty Free on my way to Hong Kong. Its promoted to reduce the look of all key signs of ageing and what I’ve already noticed (after about 4 weeks) is that my skin feels more hydrated, brighter and smoother #yeahbaby! I know it’s slightly dear but you will only need to use 2-3 drops every night so the longevity is great and plus you will wake up with the skin of a baby’s bum! On your face! That sounded better in my head…

BECCA UNDER EYE BRIGHTENING CORRECTOR:

Under Eye Corrector

Lastly, is a makeup product I have been using EVERY DAMN DAY since purchasing it. I’ve even used it with my competition makeup it’s that dang good. The Becca Under Eye Brightening Corrector. As you have probably noticed I have quite pale skin, couple this with working late hours at the dance studio and you have yourself some pretty attractive under eye circles. I’ve tried all sorts of concealers and what not to try to cover those dark circles but I just find that because the under eye area is so delicate, thick products tend to get too cakey and flakey #poet. So, I was a bit too excited to try this product after I spotted it at Sephora about a month or so ago. It’s pale pink in colour and extremely rich and creamy so you don’t need to use a lot. I pop it on with a brush in a small triangle under my eye and then tap it in with my ring finger to make sure its nice and blended. There you can either leave as is, but I like to then place a small amount of concealer on top to set it and tone down some of the pinky-ness (not too much though!) Becca is a popular Australian brand with some beautiful products which you can either shop online or in Sephora.

So if I have managed to tempt you with the idea of some of these products, please let me know! What are some of your all time favourites?

Love, Rachelle xx

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I’m one of those types of gals that is constantly chopping and changing when it comes to skincare products. Maybe it’s because I haven’t yet felt the touch of my skin care BAE #sarcasmintended or maybe its just because I am living in the ‘grass is greener’ mindset. Either way, its lead me to become a little bit of a guinea pig in my own skincare journey.

I have pretty normal type skin, the occasional breakout before flow comes to town is about the worst of it. But… I spend a buttload (literally) of time sat on an airplane. Let me tell you, the silver flying box really isn’t a trip to the facialist. So because of this, I have been told (by a lovely lady at Dermalogica) my skin can sometimes be on the drier side.

This is usually my story when I head into any beauty department store on the hunt for new skincare and recently it landed me at Lancôme. I haven’t tried any of Lancôme’s products in the past but as a cult Lisa Eldridge follower on YouTube (she is currently the global creative director for Lancôme for those of you wondering!) I was more than willing to give some stuff a go. I ended up coming away with the Doceur cleansing duo and the Hydra zen gift pack… Bring on the freebies!

After using the products for well over 2 and a half months now I am a) noticing a change in my skin, b) all out of the freebies *see photo above and c) receiving lovely comments on my skin, win!

The products all have a slight floral scent and whilst bringing moisture and life back into my skin they don’t at all feel heavy and oily like some products I’ve tried for dry skin in the past. I love the whole ritual of cleansing, toning and moisturising, whether its to wake myself up or help wind down after a rough day at the dance studio so I use these products morning and night, switching the day and night cream.. obviously!

Overall my skin feels softer and my complexion is brighter which makes me a very happy chappy! So, if your anything like me with skin that can sometimes rival an arid desert I really recommend you give these products a try. I know they are a little on the pricey side but if you try them through buying the gift packs you really do get your money’s worth with all the added extras! Besides if there’s one thing we should all be investing in (in my opinion) it’s our skin as we wear it for life 🙂

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Rachelle is a 27 year old Australian Professional Ballroom Champion living in Sydney, NSW. Travelling the world she is constantly inspired by whatever surrounds her and that is reflected in Pink Suede. Have a look around and enjoy!